Natural hazards · Decatur

Decatur, GA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Decatur comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 113 claims here since 1978. 5 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Decatur?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Decatur to be higher than in 23% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding60%Earthquakes11%Tornadoes10%Cold waves6%Everything else13%

By hazard

What Decatur faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

60% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

10% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 60% of U.S. places

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Decatur flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Decatur, from FEMA’s records.

113paid claims since 1978

$1.1Mpaid to owners

10homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Tropical Storm Ivan: 22 claims, $384K
Late summer storms: 16 claims, $128K
Hurricane Dennis: 2 claims, $8K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 15% off flood insurance. Decatur is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 7) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: DeKalb County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

66flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Decatur

5 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Decatur itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Decatur.

Brought FEMA money into DecaturDeclared for DeKalb County only

2017

Hurricane Irma

$32K to the City of Decatur for repairs

2009

Severe Storms and Flooding

854 households applied for aid $716K aid approved

2008

Severe Storms and Tornadoes

93 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Ivan

176 households applied for aid $197K aid approved $37K to the City of Decatur for repairs

2000

Severe Winter Storm

$61K to the City of Decatur for repairs

DeKalb County has had 14 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Decatur

Decatur and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Druid Hillsmostly inland floodingLow

North Decaturmostly inland floodingLow

Belvedere Parkmostly inland floodingLow

Decaturmostly inland floodingLow

Atlantamostly inland floodingLow

Scottdalemostly inland floodingVery low

Avondale Estatesmostly inland floodingVery low

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Decatur covers 6 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Decatur’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Decatur. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Decatur total about $5.0M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.